Keith Kellogg, the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Ukraine and Russia, has indicated that a peace plan for the ongoing conflict between the two nations could be realized within days or weeks. His statement comes amid the annual Munich Security Conference, currently taking place in Munich, Germany, where global defense and security officials have gathered to tackle pressing issues such as the future of Ukraine, peace negotiations with Russia, and the restructuring of Europe's security and defense architecture.
"You got to give us a bit of breathing space and time, but when I say that, I'm not talking six months, I'm talking days and weeks." – Keith Kellogg
The three-day conference serves as a vital platform for discussions on international security challenges. This year, it has placed significant emphasis on resolving the Ukraine-Russia conflict. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković emphasized the necessity of a peace deal that upholds Ukraine's territorial integrity. The conference also highlighted a "dual-track" approach to peace talks, with U.S. representatives maintaining dialogue with both Russia and Ukraine, as well as allied nations.
In line with Kellogg's remarks, U.S. President Donald Trump initially suggested that a bilateral agreement could be reached between Washington and Moscow. However, he later included Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, along with several other key parties, in the prospective peace talks. This shift in strategy has sparked concerns among European officials regarding their role and influence in the negotiations.
"You can't do it at the exclusion of anyone." – Keith Kellogg
Iceland's Prime Minister Kristrún Frostadóttir expressed apprehension over Europe's exclusion from these critical discussions, citing a general sense of unease regarding the new U.S. administration's handling of international diplomacy.
"It's difficult for leaders to be responding constantly to unclear comments." – Kristrún Frostadóttir
The absence of Europe from direct involvement in the talks has been deemed politically unacceptable by many, given the longstanding transatlantic ties between Europe and the United States. Gabrielius Landsbergis, Lithuania's former foreign minister, criticized Europe's potential exclusion from negotiations, suggesting that the U.S. tends to view international matters through its own perspective.
"I understand the frustration that Europe is not at the table, but the reason why not is because Europe has very little to offer to the table." – Gabrielius Landsbergis
While Europe may not have a physical presence at the negotiation table, their interests will undoubtedly be considered in any prospective peace deal. Kellogg emphasized the importance of achieving a lasting and sustainable resolution to the conflict.
"We want to make sure it's lasting and it's sustainable peace." – Keith Kellogg
The U.S. administration's approach to these peace talks has indeed raised eyebrows across Europe. The recent separate phone calls between President Trump and both Russian President Vladimir Putin and Ukraine's President Zelenskyy have reignited hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough.
"He'll ask you to do this job today and he'll want to know tomorrow why isn't it solved." – Keith Kellogg
Europe's exclusion from direct peace talks has led to critical voices pointing out the continent's lack of proactive measures in offering substantial resources or strategies to support Ukraine.
"If we would be ready now to offer troops, money, integration to the EU, we could have our own table. We could be inviting Ukrainians and Putin and Trump and whoever to talk about the peace the way that Europe and Ukraine understands that." – Gabrielius Landsbergis
Kellogg also highlighted the need to avoid overly extensive group discussions in order to facilitate effective decision-making.
"What we don't want to do is get into a large group discussion." – Keith Kellogg
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